Six of the world’s top mass participation cycling events have come together to form the World Association of Cycling Events (WACE). The constitution of the new association was announced in Rome today.

WACE comprises six of the most prestigious and largest mass participation events in the world:
• Cape Town Cycle Tour (South Africa), the world’s largest timed cycling event
• TD Five Boro Bike Tour (USA), the only closed road mass participation cycling event in New York City with 32,000 participants
• Vatternrundan (Sweden), one of the oldest and longest mass participation cycling event in the world with more than 6 million km ridden each year
• L’Etape du Tour, (France) one of the most beautiful and toughest sportives in the world, ridden over a stage of the Tour de France
• RideLondon (UK), the world’s largest festival of cycling with 95,000+ riders on traffic-free roads in London and Surrey
• Granfondo Campagnolo Roma (Italy), a unique cycling experience in the historic Eternal City starting in front of the Colosseum

Chartered Members

WACE has been formed to promote and increase cycling worldwide. With more than 200,000 participants from 90 countries riding in WACE events each year, the new organisation is ideally placed to inspire new riders to take up the challenge of cycling and to encourage riders to travel to participate in other world class cycling events.

“It is a very exciting time for cycling with such rapid growth in interest and participation,” said Hugh Brasher, President of WACE and Event Director for RideLondon.“We expect a number of other major international cycling events to join us to promote the many health and lifestyle benefits of cycling and to work together to promote the opportunity to ride in great cities around the world. WACE events are working with city leaders to get more people cycling to help address the global issues of pollution, overcrowding on public transport and public health.”

“We want everybody to participate in our events, not just serious riders,” said Matteo Gerevini, Executive Director of WACE. “Our events cover every aspect of cycling, from a ride in a city like New York to an incredibly tough experience in the French Alps.”

More major international cycling events are set to join WACE and the association is planning the creation of the ‘WACE CHALLENGE’ with awards to riders who take part in multiple WACE events around the world.